Floor polisher



A. F. STEIERT ET AL FLOOR POLISHER s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1921 N m mm 0% mm w NM v N mm 9 mm N km N QM m 5 5 0w;

.,Gct. 16 1923. 1,471,217

A. F. STEIERT ET AL FLOOR POLISHER Filed Aug. 4, 1921 3. Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALOIS F. STEIERT AND OSCAR W. LINKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

rLooa romsnm.

Application filed August 4, 1921. Seriaffio. 489,726.

'10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALoIs F. STEIERT and OSCAR W. LINKE citizens of the United States, residing in lihiladelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented Floor Polishers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a combined floor dresser and polisher comprising independent means for distributin a dressing over the surface of the floor and for rubbing the dressing in.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby either the distributing mechanism or the polishing mechanism may be thrown into operation at will, one device being kept inoperative while the other operates.

The invention further comprises certain novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of a device made in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section of the machine with the dressing distributing apparatus in the inoperative position;

Fig. 3, is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, is a section on the line 4-4, Fig.2;.

Fig. 5, is a longitudinal section of the device illustrating the distributing apparatus in the operative position;

Fig. 6, is a plan View of the device with the top plate removed;

Fig. 7, is a section on the line 7-7, Fig. 5, and p Fig. 8, is a fragmentary elevation of one end of the device with the distributing apparatus in the operative position.

With reference to the drawings, the body or frame of the device comprises a base plate 1 having at each side an upwardly extending wall 2, the base plate and the side walls 2 forming a substantially U-shaped struc-- ture in each end of which is slidably mounted apparatus for distributing a dressing material over a floor or other surface. This apparatus is such that in one position the entire frame structure 1-2 is elevated by the apparatus above the floor surface, while in another position of the apparatus the said frame is permitted to rest upon the floor surface, and there is attached to the under side of the base plate 1 a pad 3 upon which the frame rests when the distributing apparatus is in the inoperative position, the pad being utilized for the purpose of rubbing the dressing over the floor and for polishing, The pad 3 in the present instance comprises a base-board 4, over the face of whlch the pad is secured, the base-board 4 havin extending upwardl therefrom at each side a pair of hooke spring arms 5 which pass upwardly along the outer face of the respective side plates 2 and hook into slots 6 therein. By flexing these arms outwardly to release the hooked portions thereof from the slots, the entire pad may be removed from the frame.

The distributing apparatus comprises in its preferred form a, container 7 having a slot 8 in the bottom thereof which extends substantially across the' length of the container, while established directly below the slot is a pair of vertically disposed rollers 9 and 10, which are adapted to receive a dressing distributed through the slot 8 anddistributed over the floor surface upon which the bottom rollers 10 rest. The container 7 and the rollers 9 and 10 are mounted between a pair of side plates 11, 11, the container being fixed at its opposite ends to the respective side plates, the roller 9 having trunnions 9* extending through vertical slots 12 in the side plates 11, and the roller 10 having trunnions 10 extending through bearing apertures in the side plates. It will be seen that the roller 9 has a limited movement relative to the side plates and to the container 7 and roller 10, and this roller 9 is adapted, when the apparatus is in the inoperative position. to close the slot 8 in the bottom of the container 7 while when the apparatus is in the operative position, the roller 9 rests upon the roller 10 receiving the dressing passing through the slot 8 distributed over the surface of the roller 10. The side plates 11 rest against the inner faces of the respective side plates 2 of the frame. and lugs or projections from the outer sides of the plates 11 and in the present instance in the form of screws 13, 13, extend through L-shaped slots 14 in the sides 2 of the frame, said slots 14 controlling the movement of the distributing apparatus relative to the frame. The bottom edge of the rear extension of the plate 11 slides upon bearings 17, to be mentioned hereinafter,

which tends to support the plates and to establish a more rigid connect on between the distributing apparatus and the frame. The distributing apparatus may thus be shifted into either of the two positions illu'strated in Figs. 2 and 5,'the apparatus Fig. 2 being shown in the inoperative posltion, and in Fig. 5 in the operative position, suitable mechanism being provided for shifting the apparatus to the respective positions and for retaining it therein.

It will be noted that in Fig. 2, the d1stributing apparatus is contained entirely within the ends of the frame 1-2, the pad 3 resting upon the floor, while inthe other position, the distributing apparatus is held outwardly of the frame with the roller 10 resting upon the floor and elevating the entire frame with the pad 3 well above the floor surface. It will further be noted that in the inoperative position of the distributing apparatus, wedge-shaped elements 15 are inserted between the'rollers 9' and 10, with the effect that the roller 9 is forced upwardly and into the slot 8, whereby the slot is effectively closed. These wedge-like elements 15 are secured, as clearly shown in the drawings, to the fixed portion of the frame by means of screws 16, and. are so arranged that as the apparatus is moved,

into the ends of the frame from the operative position to the inoperative position, the wedge passesbctween the rollers.

Mounted in bearings 17, 17, on the side plates 2 are a pair of rock shafts 18,18, each carrying arms 19, 19, forked at their upper ends to receive a rod 20, whose ends are fixed in the side walls 11 of the distributing apparatus, the lower ends of the arms 19 on one of the shafts 18 being connected with the lower ends of the arms on the other of the shafts 18 by means of springs 21, 21. These springs tend to draw the lower ends of the arms together and spread the upper forked'ends apart, this spreading of the upper ends of the levers throwing the distributing apparatus into the operative position. The positions of the arms 19 corresponding to the inoperative and operative positions of the distributing apparatus are illustrated in Fixtures 2 and 5 respectively, he springs 21 in Fig. 2 being extended, and being retracted in Fig. 5.

The rock shafts 18. 18, each carry a bell "rank lever 22. the end of one of the arms of which is forked fOr the reception of a pin or spind e 23 at the lower end of a bar 24; slidahle vertically in the frame 12, sai bar being slidably secured to an upris ht 25 fixed to the said frame and'having a vertical slot 26 through which extends a screw 27 secured to the arm 24.

The connection between the bar 24 and the lever 22 is such that depression of the former rocks the shafts 18 to shift the distributing apparatus into the inoperative position, the said apparatus being. as shown in Fig. 2. in the inoperative position when the bar 24 is entirely depressedland as shown in Fig. 5 in the operative' position when the rod 24 is elevated. The other arm of the lever 22 carries a pin 22, the function of which will be described hereinafter.

Means is also provided for locking the mechanism in the two extreme positions in which the distributing apparatus is respectively operative and inoperative, said locking means COIIIPIISlDg in the present in- .stance a pair of latch levers 28, 28, pivotally secured at 29, 29, respectively to an upright 30 mounted in the bottom of the frame. The levers 28 each comprise an arm. 31 having'in the under side a recess 32 for the reception of the rod 20 of the distributing apparatus or the pin 22 at the end of one of the arms of the lever 22 on the rock shaft 18. The edge of the arm 31 slopes upwardly from the opposite sides of the recess 32 to provide for the elevation of the arm 31 by the said rod or pin when either of the latter is moved into the recess-occupying position. The levers 28 further comprise a downwardly extending arm 33, the lower ends of which are turned rearwardly and which are joined together by a coiled spring 34, the ends of which are attached to the said back turned ends 33 of the arms. This spring 31 tends to' draw the arms 33 tonether, this movement of the arms being limited by the rearward extensions 33 thereof which meet the edges of the upright 30. The letters 28 further comprise arms 35 which-extend toward each other and whose ends normally lie together and underlie a projection from a rod 36 slidable vertically upon the-standard 30, the projection in the present instance consisting of the head of a screw 37 which with a second screw 38 retains the rod 36 to the standard or upright 30. As best shown in Fig. 7. the screws 37 and 38 extend through vertical slo s 39 and 40 respectively in the upright.

The levers 28 are retained by means of the spring 34 and the limiting extensions 33 in a position to receive in their recesses 32 the rods 20 of the distributing apparatus when the latter is shifted into the inoperative, position, as shown in Fig. 2. and are also in position to receive the pin 22 of the lever 22 when the distributing apparatus is shifted into the operative position, as shown in Fig. 5, the said apparatus thus being locked securely in both positions by the levers 28. i

When it is desired." to release the distributing apparatus from the inoperative posi tion, it is merely necessary to force the bar 36 downwardly, which causes the head of the screw 37 to bear against the arms 35 of the levers 28. therebv elevating the arms 31 of the levers and releasing the rods 20 from the recesses 32, the springs 21 then operating to shift the two sets of distributing apparatus downwardly into the operative position.

Ill

To return the distributing apparatus to the inoperative position, it is necessary, as previously described, to move the rod 24 downwardly into the depressed position, and means is provided for releasing the pin 22, which when the apparatus is in the operative position occupies the recesses 22 of the:

and movable vertically to a limited extent with respect thereto, another rod 41, said rod 41 being secured to the rod 24 by means of the screw 27 which extends through a slot 42 in the rod 41 and a screw 43 extending through a slot 44 at the top of the said rod. The rod 41 is turned forwardly at the'top to overlie the upper end of the rod 24, so that to depress the latter rod, it is necessary first to depress the rod 41. The lower end of the rod 41 normally rests upon the inner ends of arms 45, 45, of a. pair of levers 46 pivotally mounted on the pins 23 at the lower end of the rod 24, the outer ends of the levers 46, as best shown in Fig. 6, underlying the offsets of the levers 28.

When the distributing apparatus is in the operative position and the rod 24 is elevated, 'as shown in Fig. 5, the levers 46 assume a substantially horizontal position with their outer ends resting against the under sides of the said offsets of the levers 28, the inner ends of the said levers 46 retaining the rod 4.1 in an elevated position, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7. When the distributing ap paratus is to be returned to the inoperative position, the foot or other member is placed upon the top of the overturned top of the rod 41. and the first downward pressure shifts the said rod 41 downwardly. thereby elevating the outer ends of the levers 45, and consequently the arms 31 of the levers 28, and releasing the pin 22 from the recess 32 to permit the rod 24 to be depressed.

Although it is possible to employ the container 7 as the reservoir for the dressing material, it is intended to receive an inner container 47, which may be in the nature of a cartridge with a suitable opening 48 in the bot-tom corresponding to the slot 8 in the container 7, the purpose of this being the distributing for sale of the dressing fluid in cart-ridges of a size and shape to enter the container 7. The inner container is preferably made of metal with the slot 48 sealed by means of a strip of cloth or paper. and a blade 7 extending inwardly from the slot 8 is adapted to rupture the seal when the inner container is pushed home into the container 7.

A top plate 49 is provided forthe body l2, said top plate having apertures therein for the passage of the rods 24, 41 and 36, and there is also provided, in the present instance at the top and sides of the casing, bearings 50, 50, for the trunnions of a handle 51, by means of which the device is moved across the floor surface.

In operation, the distributing apparatus is first thrown into the operative position and moved across the surface which it is desired to dress, with the result that the dressing material passing through the slot 8 onto the rollers 9 and 10, is distributed more or less evenly over the surface. The distributing apparatus is then thrown into theinoperative position and the device moved across the floorwherehy the pad 3 comes into operation to rub the dressing material into the surface and to give a finishing polish.

It will be noted that the actuating rods 36 and 41 are so arranged that the foot of the operator may be used to throw the distributing apparatus into the operative or inoperat-ive position, as desired, and that it is not necessary to employ the hands in the manipulation of the device, except to move the device over the floor surface by means of the handle 51. p

We claim:

1. In a machine of the type speci d, the combination of a frame. a polishing element on the frame, and distributing apparatus movable in the frame and adapted in one position to elevate the latter whereby the polishing element is removed from the supporting surface, while in another position it permits the frame to lie with the polis'. ing element in contact with the said surface.

2. In a machine of the type specified,'the

combination of a frame having attached to the under side thereof a polishing element, anddistributing apparatus movable in'the frame and adapted in one position to support the'frfame, while in another position it permits the frame to rest, upon the supporting surface. l

3. In a machine of the type specified. the combination of a frame, distributing apparatus mounted in said frame and movable therein, and mechanism for shifting said distributing apparatus to an outward position supporting the frame above an underlying surface.

4. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a frame, and distributing apparatus comprising a roller adapted in one position of the distributing apparatus in .the frame to support the frame upon an underlying surface and in another position go permit the frame to rest upon said surace.

5. In a machine of the type spec-ifie(l the combination with a main frame. of a subframe mounted and movable therein. a container carried by said sub-frame, a roller mounted in said sub-frame, and mechanism for shifting the sub-frame into a position in which the main frame is supported upon the roller and for returning the sub-frame to a position in which the main frame rests upon the underlying surface.

6. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with an open-ended frame, of distributing apparatus established in the ends of said frame and comprising a pair of rollers, and mechanism for shifting said apparatus with respect. to the frame to bring the rollers into contact with an underlying surface to elevate the frame thereabove.

7. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with a main frame, of a subframe movable in the main frame, a container carried by said sub-frame having a discharge port therein, mechanism for shifting the distributing apparatus into opera-.

tive and inoperative positions, and means for opening said discharge port when the apparatus is shifted into the operative position and for closing said discharge port when the apparatus is shifted into the inoperative position. i

8. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a main frame, a sub-frame mounted in said main frame, a container carried by said sub-frame and having a discharge opening therein, a roller mounted in' said sub-frame and movable with respect to said container, mechanism for shifting the sub-frame into a plurality of different positions relative to the main frame, and means operable in one position of the subframe to force the roller toward the contaizier to close the discharge opening.

9. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with a main frame, of a subframe movable in said mainframe, a container carried by said subframe. and having a discharge opening, a roller carried by said sub-frame, a second roller carried by said sub-frame intermediate the first-named roller and the discharge opening of the 'container, mechanism for shifting the subframe into a plurality of different positions, and an element adapted in one position of the subframe to lie betweenthe said rollers whereby the intermediate roller is forced into and closes the discharge port.

10. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with a main frame, of a subframe movable in said main frame, distributing apparatus carried by said sub-frame, a spring tending to retain the sub-frame 1n a definite position relative to the main frame, mechanism for shifting the subframe into another position, and means for locking the sub-frame in the said respective positions.

11. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with an open-ended main frame, of a sub-frame mounted in each end of said main frame, distributing apparatus carried by each of said sub-frames, and mechanism for shifting said sub-frames into a plurality of different positions relative to the frame to render the distributing apparatus operable and inoperable.

12. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with an-open-ended frame of a sub-frame mounted in each end of said main frame, distributing apparatus carried by each of said sub-frames, resilient means tending to retain the sub-frames in an out- Ward position rendering the distributing apparatus operable, and mechanism for shifting the said sub-frames inwardly to bring the distributing apparatus into an inoperable position within the main casing.

13. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with a main frame, of distribut-ing means mounted at each end of said main frame and movable with respect thereto into operative and inoperative positions, a shaft mounted in the main frame for each of said distributing means, a lever on,

each of the shafts engaging the respective distributing means, and a single operating element operatively connected with the said levers.

14. In a machine of the type specified, the

combination with a'main frame, of a distributor at each end of said main frame movable with respect thereto, and a single operating member for shifting the respective dis'tibutors from an operable to an inoperable position.

15. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with a main frame, of distributing means movably mounted at each end of the mainframe and movable into operative and inoperative positions, resilient means tending to retain the distributors in an operative position, means for shifting the distributors into an inoperative position, and a lock automatically operable to releasably retain the distributors inthe respective operable and inoperable positions.

16. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a main frame, of distributing means movably mounted at each end of the frame and shiftable into inoperabe and operable positions, resilient means tending to retain the respective distributors in an operable position, mechanism including a single operating member to shift. the distributors into an inoperable position, means for locking the distributors in respective operable and inoperable positions, and means operatively connected with said shifting means for releasing the distributors from the lockin means. a

17. n a machine of the type specified, the combination with a main frame, of independent distributors mounted at each end of the casing, mechanism for shifting said distributors into operable and inoperable positions, means for locking the distributors in the respective operable and inoperable positions, a single operating member for the shifting mechanism, and means op eratively associated with said shifting mem her and o erable in advance of each movement of t e operating member for releasing the distributors from the locking means.

18. In a machine of the type specified, the combination with a main frame, of a distributor movably mounted at each end of said frame, mechanism including a rock shaft for each of said distributors for shiftin the distributors into inoperable and operab e positions and including resilient means tending to retain the distributors in an operable position, and a single operating member operatively associated with the rock shafts for returning the distributors into an inoperable position.

19. In a machine of the type s ecified, the combination with a main frame, 'stributing apparatus movably mounted in the frame, mechanism for shifting the apparatus into an operable position, mechanlsm including an operating member for shifting the apparatus into inoperable position, means for releasably locking the apparatus in both positions, and means operatively associated with the operating member for releasing the locking means.

20. In a machine of the type specified, the

combination with a main frame, distributing apparatus movabl frame,mechanism for shifting the apparatus into an operable position, mechanism including an operating member for shifting the apparatus into inoperable position, means for releasably locking the apparatus in both positions, means operatively associated with the operating member for releasing the locking means, and means independent of the operating member for releasing the locking means.

mounted in the 21. In a machine of the type specified, the

combination with a main frame, distributing apparatus movably mounted in the frame, mechanism for shifting the apparatus into an operable position, mechanism including an operating member for shifting the apparatus into inoperable position, means for releasably locking the apparatus in both positiofis, and independent means for releas ing the locking means for the respective positions.

ALOIS F. STEIERT. OSCAR w. LINKE. 

